About the Ethics Office

An Ethical Culture at the United Nations

Fundamental to the Ethics Office mission is supporting an organizational culture that is informed by integrity, accountability, transparency and respect. But, what does “organizational culture” really mean?

Organizational culture is the term we use to describe the social norms and rules of behaviour that express our beliefs about ourselves, how work is accomplished, and how we relate to each other. An ethical organizational culture is based on a shared understanding of those ethical values that make our organization what it is today. In an ethical culture, every staff member is able to recognize, appreciate, and resolve ethical issues that arise in our everyday work. We are able to take decisions based on our shared values and put those values into action.